Plums

Plums

Way back at the end of summer, which seems like a million years ago, a friend left a bag of plums on the doorstep. I knew she was going to - her daughter's tree was laden and she'd made as much jam as she could be getting on with - but I didn't realise just how many there were. It wasn't quite like the cherry mountain, but it was a good 5kgs of small, ripe plums.

I've been meaning to post about those plums and what I did with them for ages, but I kept thinking "just one more dish and then...".

I made jam, of course. But I think I overcooked it and I haven't actually been game to try and get it out of the jar yet. Might need a hatchet.

Baked plums with almonds

I baked some, with a handful of almonds for crunch, and ate them with vanilla yoghurt for breakfast. I stewed some and froze them in portions.

Custard slice

I baked some in a sort of galaktoboureko-inspired custard slice. It would have been much more successful if the phyllo pastry I ordered had turned up - as it was I used puff, which was too thick and didn't bake through nicely. Tasted good but.

Custard slice, sliced

Some went into a rather nice duck dish, with ginger and star anise. I should have written down the recipe.

Duck in plum sauce

But most of them I semi-dried and then bottled in a boozy syrup. I dipped each half in a simple syrup, laid them on a rack over a baking tin, and cooked them in a 120C oven for about half an hour until they were slightly dried and chewy. They went into a sterilised jar, and I poured equal measures of hot simple syrup and rum over them.

The jar has sat in the kitchen for months, waiting for inspiration to strike.

Finally I decided. I baked them in a tart with a pistachio frangipane. And very nice it was too.